Thermal conditioning system for heating and cooling cylindrical containers

Abstract

A thermal conditioning system for heating and cooling cylindrical containers includes a container heating apparatus with an enclosed heating chamber, transport mechanism for movement of the containers through the heating chamber, a cooling apparatus positioned below the heating chamber, and conveyor systems for introducing containers into the heating chamber and form removing the containers from the cooling apparatus after they have passed through the system.

1. A thermal conditioning system for heating and cooling cylindrical containers, comprising
 container heating apparatus comprising 
 a heating chamber of generally cylindrical configuration with a generally vertical cylindrical axis, said chamber including  
 a housing enclosing said heating chamber and having a generally cylindrical configuration generally coaxial with said heating chamber axis, and  
 a heated fluid introduced into said chamber for heating said containers within said heating chamber;  
 
 heating transport apparatus for supporting movement of said containers through said heating chamber, said transport apparatus comprising: 
 a plurality of generally circular tracks carried by track supports and spaced apart from one another along said cylindrical axis;  
 a transport mechanism for moving said containers around said tracks; and  
 a transfer structure for moving said containers from one said said track to an adjacent, lower said track;  
 
 introduction conveyor apparatus for introducing containers into said heating chamber from outside said chamber;  
 container cooling apparatus positioned generally below said heating chamber, said cooling apparatus including 
 a cooling fluid spray, and  
 transport apparatus generally coaxial with said heating chamber transport apparatus and comprising 
 a plurality of generally circular tracks carried by a track support and spaced apart from one another along said cylindrical axis, the first said circular track being positioned directly below the lowermost said heating apparatus track for receiving heated said containers therefrom;  
 a transport mechanism for moving said containers around said tracks; and  
 a transfer structure for moving said containers from one said said track to an adjacent, lower said track; and  
 
 
 exit conveyor apparatus for moving said containers from said cooling apparatus to a location outside said heating apparatus and said cooling apparatus.  
 
   
   
     2. The thermal conditioning system of  claim 1  wherein said transport mechanism comprises a cylinder mounted for rotation about said heating chamber axis and includes a plurality of pusher elements extending generally radially outwardly of said cylinder and positioned to engage said containers, and wherein said thermal conditioning system further comprises a drive motor connected to said cylinder for rotational movement of said housing, whereby the rotation of the cylinder urges the containers around the circular tracks of the heating chamber. 
   
   
     3. The thermal conditioning system of  claim 2  wherein said pusher elements are positioned circumferentially about said housing and said pusher support structure and are spaced apart sufficiently to permit only one said container between adjacent said pusher elements. 
   
   
     4. The thermal conditioning system of  claim 3  wherein said introduction conveyor introduces said containers into said heating chamber onto the uppermost said circular track, and wherein said housing drive motor is connected to said introduction conveyor and synchronized with said rotation of said housing such that a single said container is introduced between each adjacent pair of said pusher elements. 
   
   
     5. The thermal conditioning system of  claim 1  wherein said container transfer structure comprises, for both said heating transport and said cooling structure transport, a ramp on each said track extending angularly downwardly from one said track to the respective subjacent track, whereby the containers move down the ramps from one circular track to the next subjacent track. 
   
   
     6. The thermal conditioning system of  claim 1  wherein said tracks in said cooling apparatus are outside said heating chamber. 
   
   
     7. The thermal conditioning system of  claim 1  wherein said heating chamber housing is generally of the shape of a right circular cylinder and is mounted for generally vertical movement between a first position surrounding and enclosing said heating chamber and a second position lowered from said first position and exposing at least a portion of said heating chamber for access thereto. 
   
   
     8. The thermal conditioning system of  claim 7  wherein said heating chamber housing comprises a plurality of axially adjacent cylindrical segments, each said segment being movable with respect to any adjacent said segment and with respect to the heating transport apparatus. 
   
   
     9. The thermal conditioning system of  claim 1  wherein said introduction conveyor introduces said containers into said heating chamber onto the uppermost said circular track, and wherein the housing drive motor is further connected to said introduction conveyor for generally synchronous movement of said introduction conveyor and said pusher elements.